This invention relates to hair curlers and more particularly to hair curlers of the self-heating type.
Hair curlers which are self-heating and which are adapted to wind a curl of hair on a body thereof are known in the art. Self-heating is provided by combining substances to generate an exothermic chemical reaction wherein warming heat is generated for hair treatment. The exothermic reaction is generally activated by moistening the reacting substances, as for example by dispensing a limited amount of water on the curler body. The hair is then curled onto the body and is heated by the progressing exothermic chemical reaction.
Prior self-heating hair curlers of the type described exhibit several disadvantages. In particular, the chemical substances have been positioned within a packet and apertures are formed within the packet both for the ingress of a moistening fluid which initiates the reaction and to permit the progressing reaction to "breathe" by permitting air with its oxygen content to flow into the packet. A chemical reaction which takes place results in a residue of relatively small flake-like particles and these particles have exhibited a tendency to escape from the packet through the apertures during use or when the curler is removed from the hair and have undesirably resulted in dispersing these particles about the hair or the head.
The exothermic chemical reaction requires a measured amount of moisturizing fluid for initiating reaction. Too great or too small a quantity of fluid will result in a reaction which progresses at an undesired rate or at undesired heat level. In order to control the rate of reaction, it has been necessary to carefully dispense the amount of moisturizing fluid. Since a large number of hair curlers can be used in any one hair setting, this of course imposes a substantial burden on the user and detracts from the overall self-heating benefits of the curler.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved form of exothermic hair curler.
Another object of the invention is to provide an exothermic hair curler which does not require careful dispensing of the activating fluid.
Another object of the invention is to provide an exothermic hair curler arranged to inhibit the escape of chemical residue therefrom.